Your True Story: The 50-Day Essential Guide to Your New Life with Jesus

By Susan Freese

Your life can change in 50 Days. This ALL-IN-ONE Bible Study tool contains a lifetime of discipleship essentials for new Christians worldwide (no western examples). It’s hard to have a close relationship with God and fulfill your purpose without a clear understanding of His story and your part in it.

These 50 daily readings reveal a LIFETIME OF FAITH ESSENTIALS to bring depth to your friendship with Jesus & equip you with PRACTICAL SKILLS to be His follower. 

Learn what mature believers have known for years in 50 Days through this simple but life-changing journey. 

Week 1:     God’s Story—Discovering the overarching story of the Bible

Week 2:     Your Story—Embracing your new identity in Christ

Week 3:     Your Purpose—Fulfilling your life purpose

Week 4:     Abiding—Staying Connected with God

Week 5:     God’s Word—Listening to the Author of Life

Week 6:     Prayer—Talking with the Author of Life

Week 7:     Holy Spirit—Living Your Story in God’s Strength

Each week you’ll learn more of the narrative woven through the Bible.

You’ll discover secrets of the Christian life, like how to abide in Christ, work through doubts, resist temptation, and worship God during seasons of suffering.

You’ll also learn practical ways to study your Bible, share your faith, make disciples, and pray. If you have not started a relationship with Jesus, you’ll have an opportunity to take that step.

Each day closes with a Great Commandment approach using Scripture, questions, prayer, and a place to process your next steps.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF YOU:

- Are a new believer in Jesus seeking next steps to grow your faith,

- Are a Christian looking to be discipled or to disciple others,

- Are exploring Christianity and want to know how to become a follower of Jesus.

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:

“A LIFE-CHANGING journey.” Scott Ray, IMB

“One of the BEST DISCIPLESHIP TOOLS I have ever read.” Chris Price, Pastor of Chets Nocatee

“I know it will ENCOURAGE YOU.” Dr. Richard Blackaby, co-author of Experiencing God

“A MUST-READ for new Christians, yet CHALLENGING for the most mature Christian.” Mac Heavener, Trinity Baptist College

“Comprehensive, EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND, theologically sound.” Kelley Hastings, Minister to Women

“Weaves together gospel discipleship and a transferable FIELD MANUAL FOR DISCIPLE-MAKING.” Bob Bumgarner, lead missional strategist

“It is a DEEP STUDY that will answer many of your questions about your spiritual journey.” Betzaida Vargas, founder of Samaritana del Pozo

YOUR LIFE HAS A NEW STORY TO TELL:

Experience authentic faith and joy as you apply sacred truths to change your life. Meeting Jesus is just the beginning. Following Him--that's how your true story unfolds.

--Keywords, daily personal reflection and weekly group discussion questions included.

--Written for a global audience with no western examples.

--10,000+ research hours, 3 theological reviews, 1,400+ Biblical references, 50+ Beta Readers = 1 Life-Changing Journey.

More info at yourtruestorybook.com
 
Each book sold will provide a translated copy to an under-resourced believer in a developing country. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Publishdrive
• Release date: Mar 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781735878010

Book preview

Response to Your True Story

My father famously wrote that God is always at work around you. Your job is to see where He is working and to join Him. Susan Freese is someone who has experienced that firsthand! When she told my father the amazing things God was doing in her life, he urged her to put it into print so many others could be blessed by her journey. What you hold in your hand is the result. I know it will encourage you. God is at work around your life as well. If you will join Him, He’ll take you on the journey of a lifetime!

Dr. Richard Blackaby, president of Blackaby Ministries International, co-author, Experiencing God.

"Serious, thoughtful, logical, and appropriate—these words describe Susan Freese’s approach to preparing new followers of Christ for the life that honors God. Other words of praise should also be added: practical, informative, and well-studied. As a result, Your True Story will gently lead all believers to engage in Christian living and equip them for that endeavor. I believe that this manual will help those who believe in Christ, both new and seasoned, to fulfill the fivefold mandate of Deuteronomy 10:12: to fear, walk, love, serve, and keep (obey) . . . the Lord your God. Absolutely, then, every disciple of Jesus should ‘get this book’ (pun intended)!"

Dr. Archie England, chair of Biblical Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

As a women’s minister, I am always on the lookout for a comprehensive, easy-to-understand, theologically sound discipleship tool for new or young believers. This is that tool. I’ve had the privilege of serving alongside Susan Freese for several years. Through her strong grasp of Scripture, obedience to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and passion for discipling women, lives have been transformed. She firmly believes we can change the world by equipping people to be disciples who make disciples. This is what her book so clearly accomplishes.

Kelley Hastings, minister to women at Chets Creek Church

"Your True Story is a timeless book for the ages as well as for all ages. Dr. Susan Freese’s unique ability to demonstrate synergy between the practical and the inspirational is unique. Your True Story will help generations of Christians regardless of where they are in their spiritual journey. Those of us who learn by doing will especially appreciate this carefully crafted ‘road map’ to help us write our own true story. It is a ‘must read’ for new Christians and yet challenging for the most mature Christians."

Mac D. Heavener Jr., president, Trinity Baptist College

One of the best discipleship tools I have read. Easy to read, yet thought-provoking and straight to the point. This practical, daily guide will be an asset for spiritual growth for any person, whether it be someone who is questioning what faith in Jesus looks like or for a seasoned Christ-follower. It is adaptable for people in any culture or geographical region on the planet. It will be an essential discipleship tool in my ministry toolbox moving forward. This is the type of book that will impact the world for generations!

Chris Price, pastor of Chets Creek Church at Nocatee, former missions pastor

"Your True Story is an excellent resource for those who want to discover their divine design. It’s a deep study that will answer many of your questions about your spiritual journey. As a women’s ministry leader, I am frequently asked, ‘Where can I start if I want to have a personal relationship with Jesus?’ ‘How can I understand the message that the Bible has for me?’ Your True Story will answer these questions and guide you into a deep understanding of your new life with Jesus."

Betzaida Vargas, founder and executive director of Samaritana del Pozo

"The beauty and strength of Your True Story lie in Susan’s commitment to weave together a meaningful theology of gospel discipleship and a transferable field manual of disciple-making. At one level this book is both compelling and easy to read; at another level its clarity stirs a vision for a global movement of disciple-making."

Bob Bumgarner, lead missional strategist for Jacksonville Baptist Association

"I have had the opportunity to see Susan teach and model the principles on the mission field. She has the heart to see God glorified, new believers grow, and the church expand. These passions come out in Your True Story, which packs the essentials of the faith in a life-changing journey. You will know God’s love in a deeper way and help others discover it too."

Scott Ray, director of assessment and deployment for International Missions Board

"Susan Freese has long had a relentless desire for all people to know and love God deeply. Your True Story is Susan’s heart work to produce a resource that can move all people to a deeper faith in God. Her writing is simple and straightforward enough to be universally well received, but complex enough to challenge each reader with self-examination and honest reflection. With the focus squarely on the truths of Scripture, this resource examines and explains how God initiated a relationship with us and our right response of relationship back to Him. Your True Story serves as an effective and extremely palatable and foundational resource for people who are new to Christian faith or longtime followers of God—and everyone in between."

Christy Price, pastor’s wife & women’s ministry leader at Chets Creek Church at Nocatee

This book will guide you to know who you are as true worshipers and followers of Christ. When you find your true identity, one thing is for sure—everything changes! You will find your own true story coming to life through this intimate and inspired writing. I would encourage every new and mature follower of Christ to commit 50 days to read and meditate on the words of this book. One thing I can promise: the power of God will be revealed and experienced in ways that will impact not only you but also the sphere of influence God has placed around you until there is No Place Left.

Dr. Jeffery L. Crick, DO, catalytic leader for No Place Left Disciple-Making Movements

Susan Freese is a faithful servant of Christ. I am certain the truth contained in this study will be used by the Holy Spirit to lead many people to KNOW Jesus as Savior, LOVE Jesus as Lord, and SERVE Jesus in obedience to the Bible. All to the Glory of God.

Ginger Soud, state committeewoman of Florida

"Susan and her team have developed a wonderful guide for new followers of Jesus Christ that prepares them to walk out their Ephesians 2:10 life. Your True Story will equip all believers with the information, resources, and tools to lead lives that fulfill the Great Commission by making disciples who make disciples."

Bob Shallow, managing chair of C12

"As Christians, we often become comfortable in our faith walk and assume others automatically know how to grow their faith and maneuver the Christian life once introduced to Jesus. Susan Freese does not make that assumption and wisely offers Your True Story as a faith-building, Christ-following journey. A must for every believer and can be used at any point in their own story."

Lauren Crews, MDiv, author of award-winning Strength of a Woman: Why You Are Proverbs 31

"It is my honor to be Susan and Brett Freese’s pastor and to wholeheartedly recommend her book, Your True Story, to you. I have had the privilege of seeing Susan grow in her relationship with Christ and being there when God called her to full-time ministry. From taking that step of faith, leaving a prestigious corporate position, to going to seminary and equipping women around the world, she has chosen to do everything with excellence. God has used her in a powerful way, and this book is the next step in her journey of making a difference in people’s lives. I am looking forward to utilizing this great resource in our church and hope you will as well."

Spike Hogan, senior pastor of Chets Creek Church

"Your True Story is an enlightening road map for any individual, whether they are starting their spiritual journey or starting over. If the reader truly embraces this Scripture-saturated 50-day journey, they will be ‘transformed by the renewing of their mind . . . to test and approve what God’s will is’ (Romans 12:2)."

Tammie McClafferty, EdD, MAR, MAT, executive director of Lifework First Coast

"Having pastored for 35 years and leading pastor training in Russia and India for 22 years, I’ve found that one universal need stands out all over the world—the need to reproduce authentic disciples. Authentic disciples who are grounded deeply in their relationship with Christ and His Word, and yearn to complete His commission in their geographical, family, and social circles of responsibility. My friend and practical visionary Susan Freese has felt this need deeply, and she has done something about it. Her manual, Your True Story, leads the participant on a journey into a consistent daily relationship with Christ through His Word and prayer in the power of the Holy Spirit. Her underlying goal is to engage every believer to understand who God is and who they are in Christ, and to grow in God’s purpose for their lives. A tool of this importance will be transformative in churches all over the world. May God give it a wide hearing in many nations."

Wes Slough, pastor-trainer for Saturation Church Planting

"Your True Story is an invaluable resource. Much is covered, yet in my opinion, not a single word is wasted. You’ll appreciate the clear and logical way content is organized, including big-picture explanations, impactful analogies, and practical next steps. Each day is saturated in Scripture, and the four daily apply sections will help you not only grow but be transformed. I believe the 50-day faith journey will be something to experience again and again as a reference for yourself and a tool to disciple others. I’ve never found a more thorough guide to lead all believers, and I give it my highest recommendation. Get the book, invite some friends, and commit to the 50 days. It will be so WORTH it!"

Riann Boyd, disciple-maker and ministry leader

This book is dedicated to Jesus—the Hero of our story.

100% of the net proceeds from this book will support ministries helping marginalized women and children around the world.

© 2021 by Susan Freese

All rights reserved worldwide. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Jacksonville, Florida, by All In Ministries Books.

Titles by All In Ministries Books may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email [e-mail].

Any Internet address, ministry, company, or product information printed in this book is offered as a resource and not intended in any way to be or to imply an endorsement by All In Ministries International, nor does All In Ministries International vouch for the existence, content, or services of those sites, companies, or products beyond the life of this book.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org.

Cover design by Danita Brooks

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021900138

ISBNs:

978-1-7358780-0-3 (trade paperback)

978-1-7358780-1-0 (ebook)

978-1-7358780-2-7 (hardback)

Contents

Welcome

Global Audience

Navigating the Bible

Commitment

PART I: Discovering Your Story with God

Week One: God’s Story

Day 1: You Are Invited

Day 2: God’s Perfect Creation Displays His Glory

Day 3: Sin Ruins Everything

Day 4: Jesus Rescues Us, Forgives Us, and Leads Us

Day 5: God Makes All Things New: Re-Creation

Day 6: Life After Death

Day 7: God’s Story—Focus on Jesus

Receive Jesus Today

Week 1 Discussion Questions

Week Two: Your Story, Your Identity

Day 8: You Are Chosen

Day 9: You Are a Worshiper

Day 10: You Are Forgiven and Made New

Day 11: You Are Adopted

Day 12: You Are Never Alone

Day 13: You Are Holy

Day 14: You Belong to God

Week 2 Discussion Questions

Week Three: Your Story, Your Purpose

Day 15: Embrace Your New Purpose

Day 16: Represent Jesus Christ as His Ambassador

Day 17: Look Down to Disciple Generations

Day 18: Look Out to Reach Neighbors and Nations

Day 19: Look Up to Glorify God

Day 20: Glorify God in Worship

Day 21: Worship God Through Pain

Week 3 Discussion Questions

PART II: Living Out Your Story with God

Week Four: Abiding—Staying Connected to God

Day 22: Know God as Your Friend

Day 23: Rest In, Rely On, Release All to God

Day 24: Receive from God—Grow Deep Roots

Day 25: Bear Fruit as You Abide

Day 26: Resist Temptation

Day 27: Fight with the Armor of God

Day 28: Enter God’s Rest Through God’s Word

Week 4 Discussion Questions

Week Five: God’s Word—Listening to the Author of Life

Day 29: Cherish God’s Word

Day 30: Receive God’s Word—The Parable of Seeds and Soil

Day 31: Trust God’s Word—Reasons to Believe

Day 32: Tour the Bible—Book by Book

Day 33: Study the Bible—Step by Step

Day 34: Memorize God’s Word

Day 35: Review and Practice—God’s Word

Week 5 Discussion Questions

Week Six: Prayer—Talking with the Author of Life

Day 36: Talk with God, Change Your Heart

Day 37: Pray and Listen

Day 38: Avoid Hindrances to Prayer

Day 39: Fast in Prayer

Day 40: Pray God’s Word, Discover God’s Will

Day 41: Pray for Others—The Great Reach of Intercession

Day 42: Pray First. Pray Always. Pray Now

Week 6 Discussion Questions

Week Seven: The Holy Spirit—Living Your Story in God’s Strength

Day 43: Know the Power of God in You

Day 44: Be Filled with the Spirit—Surrender

Day 45: Be Purified for Resurrection Life—Sanctification

Day 46: Grow in the Spirit—Serve

Day 47: Grow in the Spirit—Share

Day 48: Grow in the Spirit—Suffer

Day 49: Wake, Watch, Work—Jesus Christ Is Coming

Day 50: Celebrate Your True Story

Week 7 Discussion Questions

Acknowledgments

Weekly Gatherings Outline

Appendix: Tools to Share Your Faith

Bibliography

Welcome

This book is for those who desire a closer relationship with Jesus. It’s for those who want to apply a lifetime of sacred truths to their lives—without taking a lifetime to learn them all. It’s for those who do not want an ordinary, one-day-a-week, stale religious faith.

The pages within this book hold life-giving treasures wrapped in words waiting to be opened. It has taken me nearly 50 years to collect these treasures, live these lessons, and now share them with you. Whether you are starting your relationship with Jesus or starting over, I invite you to take this 50-day faith journey to guide you on your next steps with Him. You will not hear personal stories (except true stories from God’s Word) because this is not about someone else’s faith journey. It’s your faith journey.

Each week you’ll learn more of the narrative woven through the Bible. Part 1 starts with a wide scope of the overarching story of God. Then, we’ll narrow our focus to your place and purpose in God’s Story. This life-changing foundation will stabilize the faith essentials covered in the second part of the journey. At this point, Part 2 also becomes a resource guide you can return to as life’s unexpected circumstances come your way. You’ll discover secrets of the Christian life, like how to abide in Christ, work through doubts, resist temptation, and worship God during seasons of suffering. You’ll also learn practical ways to study the Bible, share your faith with people, and pray. If you have not started a relationship with Jesus, you’ll have an opportunity to take that step. My prayer in sharing these life lessons is that you will encounter God’s love, embrace your part in God’s Story, and learn from my mistakes.

Growing up, I trusted Jesus as the forgiver of my sins but did not know to follow Him as the leader of my life. That ignorance cost me—in worldly pursuits, unhealthy thinking, and selfish living. Although I loved Jesus, my incomplete understanding of His role in my life left me restless and joyless. My career kept me distracted, and my shallow faith left me spiritually starving.

But through that wilderness season, God sustained me and revealed what I had been missing all my life: a daily relationship with Him . . . but more than that, an intimate friendship with Him.

I wish I could tell you I surrendered everything to Him then and began trusting Jesus not only for my salvation but also in every part of my life—but I hesitated. I feared what would happen to my children if I gave God leadership over my life. Would my children suffer for my surrender? Would they be taken away from me if I offered everything to God? Then, a woman at church gently shared with me how God loved my sons more than I ever could. I realized that my greatest responsibility as a mother (or in any other role in my life) was to love God with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, and all my strength (Mark 12:30)—to give Him my all because He has given me His all.

Everything changed when I invited God to take over my life. I saw life no longer through a dark lens of worry or selfish ambition but through eyes of faith. Those steps of obedience and trust drew me closer to God. I wanted more of Him, and I wanted Him to have more of me. Through this journey, I discovered who God is, why I was created, and how to live well. I found my story in God’s True Story.

As my story unfolded, God led me into full-time ministry and seminary. He gave me opportunities to share what I was learning in various settings and countries. No matter where I would serve, the need was the same—an authentic relationship with Jesus. By God’s grace, the results were the same as well—beautifully transformed lives. With my husband and pastors’ encouragement, All In Ministries International was born, and it grew. Local churches and missionaries asked for the material in written form. But I hesitated again. God used a conversation with Dr. Henry Blackaby¹ to encourage me to take this step to write—to place into one book everything I wish I had known when I started out with Jesus. My prayers for help were answered in each step to create Your True Story. This book is not meant to be comprehensive, but it contains life-giving truths that changed my life and the lives of countless others.

Now, it’s your turn. I invite you to come with me on this journey through Your True Story in 50 daily readings—a carefully chosen chapter in God’s Story and soon to be in yours, I pray. It won’t always be easy or painless, but unfolding your true story is worth the work. Change is uncomfortable, and you get to choose how you will respond to it. Trust God in these next steps or stay the same.

As you choose to trust God through these brief chapters, you will experience passionate love, incredible joy, and supernatural peace. This transformation will help you live each day in oneness with God and prepare you for eternity. At last, you will know your true story as a part of God’s True Story.

Then, I pray you will be like that woman at church who gently shared the truth with me. I pray you will gently invite another and then another and then another on a journey to discover God’s great love and plan for His creation. That is how God designed our lives: to be changed and to bring change to others.

God’s glory is our reward,

Susan Freese

John 3:30

Global Audience

This discipleship resource is for all people within all Christian faith communities worldwide. While our worship styles are diverse, we are united in our beliefs: Jesus Christ is Lord, the whole Bible is wholly true, and every believer has an important part in God’s Story. This study complements the disciple-making workshops offered by All In Ministries International. For more information and free tools, visit www.allinmin.org.

Navigating the Bible

This study will feature a tour of the Bible and how to study it in Week 5. We use several reliable Bible translations to help you clearly see God’s truth. It will be helpful for you to have a Bible ready for each day’s study.

When referring to Bible passages, the book of the Bible is listed first, followed by the chapter number and then the verse(s) within the chapter. For example, John 3:16 refers to the Gospel of John in the New Testament (not to be confused with 1 John), chapter 3, verse 16.

John (Book) 3 (Chapter): 16 (Verse)

Commitment

Your life can change in 50 days, especially when you’re committed to the journey. Before we begin, I’d like to challenge you not to miss a single day’s reading. You set yourself up well when you schedule an appointment on your calendar. By signing your name and designating your time, you show the seriousness of your commitment, and your results dramatically improve.

With God’s help, I commit the next 50 days of my life to discover my story in God’s True Story.

Your name

Set a daily time (30 minutes recommended) and place to read and respond to one chapter each day:

Invite Your Friends

Journeys are better when we’re together with friends. You will gain the most benefit from this faith journey and strengthen friendships if others join you. The fact is we follow God best with others. God gives us a family of faith—the church—to walk with us as we walk with Him. He never meant for us to be alone (Gen. 2:18). A wise man once said, Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble (Eccles. 4:9–10). Let’s not fall alone.

Pray and ask God to lead you to those who can join you through this study and beyond. I suggest you meet once a week to discuss what you learn. You can use the group discussion questions found at the end of each week as a guide for your gathering. List the names of the people God has led you to invite on your journey below:

Set a day, a time, and a location to meet weekly in person or online:

DISCOVERING YOUR STORY WITH GOD

You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.

Psalm 139:16–17

What if I said, You are the reason this book was written? What if I told you that you have an appointment with God right now? You may question if that’s true or wonder why God has you on His calendar. But look around—is anyone else reading this book? Maybe not; so why you? Because God wants you to know He wrote you into His story. Perhaps you have an extraordinary journey to take to experience Him. Or, perhaps there is another person looking to you for answers. Either way, God planned this moment—at this time, in this place—for you to discover your true story as part of God’s True Story.

No matter who you are or where you live, the one true God is loving you right now. He has an important purpose for your life. You might ask: How is He loving me? Why is my life important? How should I respond? These are all good questions. We invite you to take this 50-day faith journey to start answering them. Why 50 days? God set apart 50 days in the Bible for a special purpose. Once the Hebrew people began celebrating Passover (we’ll study that in Week 7), God gave them another festival called the Feast of Weeks, later called Pentecost.¹ The one-day celebration took place seven weeks and one day (50 days) after Passover. Pentecost was a day of celebration and revelation. It commemorates the giving of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) to Moses on Mount Sinai. After Jesus’s time on earth, He gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to the disciples in Jerusalem on Pentecost. There is something significant about the fact that God chose the same fiftieth day, both in the Old Testament and New Testament, to give the gifts of Word and Spirit. Word and Spirit combine to bring us greater revelation.

God can use these 50 days in your life in a special way, too. Why put in the effort? Because your life matters, and your life story makes a difference. Our Creator made you on purpose, for a purpose. He has written a story for you—a story full of meaning that impacts eternity. But to understand your purpose—your true story—you need to know the Author. You need to encounter the one true God.

What is God like? Why did God create me? How can I know God?

Many of us have asked these questions. Do not ignore them because you fear you won’t find the answers, or you are afraid you will not like the answers you find. God planted these questions in your heart to bring you on a faith journey closer to His heart. So, ask them.

You’ll find answers in the Bible—also known as God’s Word or Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16).¹ But more than answers, you will find God Himself. One of my prayers is that over the next 50 days you will experience how God is real and the Bible is true. Together, we’ll answer some of your questions with truth from God’s Word. Whether you are reading it for the first time or have studied it for years, God’s Word is always perfect and fresh.

This study heavily quotes Scripture and refers you to Bible verses (including more than 1,400 references) so God’s Word can speak for itself. I suggest you set aside thirty minutes each day with an open Bible to meet with God as you go through these brief chapters. Pray before you read to invite God to reveal Himself to you. Interact with what you discover. Mark up the pages as you wish and write your thoughts in the margins. Read one chapter a day so you can think and act on what you read.

As we learn to love God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength (Mark 12:30), we’ll approach this faith journey with Jesus’s command in mind. You’ll find four steps to complete at the end of each day:

1. Read Scripture related to the day’s topic in Let the Bible Speak.

2. Answer questions to process what you read in Let Your Mind Think.

3. Start your conversation with God in Let Your Soul Pray.

4. Record what steps God may be leading you to take in Let Your Heart Obey. ¹

Please work through these four steps to absorb and apply each day’s lesson. This is important. Knowing new information will not transform our lives, but the application of biblical truth with God’s help will.

Let’s preview the journey for Part 1:

First, in Week 1, you will learn about God and His overarching true